n.

1. a painful or straitened circumstance
   
   • the pinch of the recession
2. an injury resulting from getting some body part squeezed
3. a slight but appreciable addition;
   touch, hint, tinge, mite, jot, speck, soupcon
   
   • this dish could use a touch of garlic
4. a sudden unforeseen crisis (usually involving danger) that requires immediate action;
   emergency, exigency
   
   • he never knew what to do in an emergency
5. a small sharp bite or snip;
   nip
6. a squeeze with the fingers;
   tweak
7. the act of apprehending (especially apprehending a criminal);
   apprehension, arrest, catch, collar, taking into custody
   
   • the policeman on the beat got credit for the collar

v.

1. squeeze tightly between the fingers;
   squeeze, twinge, tweet, nip, twitch
   
   • He pinched her behind
   • She squeezed the bottle
2. make ridges into by pinching together;
   crimp
3. make off with belongings of others;
   pilfer, cabbage, purloin, abstract, snarf, swipe, hook, sneak, filch, nobble, lift
4. cut the top off;
   top
   
   • top trees and bushes
5. irritate as if by a nip, pinch, or tear;
   vellicate
   
   • smooth surfaces can vellicate the teeth
   • the pain is as if sharp points pinch your back